A Surreptitious Suitor (Gajevy Week 2017)
by Shell1331
Summary: Library and book-related hijinks, and a secret admirer? Connected stories following Gajeel and Levy's relationship written for Gajevy Week 2017. All chapters rated T for language, innuendo, and generally playing it safe.
1. Matching

**Author's note:** In some fit of insanity or perhaps an indication of masochistic tendencies, I decided to participate in a ship/pairing week. I'd had a Gajeel/Levy plot bunny hanging around, so Gajevy Week it was!

Since disclaimers seem to be all the rage, and just in case it wasn't readily apparent, I do not own _Fairy Tail_.

* * *

 **Prompt: Matching**

No one in Fairy Tail—hell, no one in Fiore—was surprised when Levy McGarden began volunteering at the local library in Magnolia. Truth be told, she would've loved a part-time job either there or at Book Land, but being a Fairy Tail mage came with a rather _irregular_ schedule, between jobs with her team and miscellaneous villains bent on world domination or destruction. But volunteering worked just fine for her, enabling her to spend time surrounded by her much-loved books as well as giving back to the community that had been so supportive of their guild.

Occasionally Levy would assist patrons at the front desk or enter new books into their classification system and meticulously apply call numbers to the spines, but most days were spent sorting and shelving books—recently returned, newly acquired, and of course, those that had been plunked down randomly somewhere inside the library. Never mind the carts in almost every room of the building for books needing reshelving (and labeled as such).

Some librarians or library aides found this task tedious and boring. Levy, however, loved it.

She'd found a quiet corner not far from the circulation desk, and there she spread out the books, organizing them by call number and placing them on the cart. Once the cart was full, she'd go shelve them, and lather, rinse, repeat.

While she sorted, she couldn't resist skimming through each book, though she didn't read them from start to finish, of course. She just scanned them—with the assistance of her Gale-Force reading glasses—making note of books she wanted to check out for herself and gleaning little tidbits of knowledge.

With one of their own working at the library, many Fairy Tail mages popped in and out more routinely to see Levy. Sometimes simply to chat and socialize, but often to get assistance from their resident bookworm. She'd push her red reading glasses atop her head and do her best to help her guild mates, as quickly and quietly as possible. She was under no illusions about the destructive capabilities of Fairy Tail, and Levy wanted none of that within the hallowed walls of a library. She was still embarrassed for even being present for the damage done to the Magic Library tower.

Some guild members she was stricter with than others. Natsu had been banned long before Levy began volunteering, but she made certain it was enforced. She had no desire for him to get "all fired up" around all those books. Gray too had been banned prior to her tenure, and she suspected it was related to his rather unfortunate habit of indecent exposure, no matter the location. Cana had recently been barred from the premises after she spilled one of her myriad alcoholic beverages not only on some library books, but also another library patron. Juvia—after an incident involving Gray, a perceived "love rival," and a minor flood—was also politely asked not to return. Ever.

Erza was allowed, but with the understanding that if she threatened another person at sword point, she'd join her guild mates in their permanent ban. Gajeel was under a similar edict—if he nibbled on any more carts or shelving, he would no longer be welcome, much to Levy's dismay. In an attempt to prevent this, she often provided him with a little solid script snack whenever he came by.

Unsurprisingly, Wendy and Lucy were frequent visitors to the library and posed no threat of destruction to it or its books. Surprisingly, Laxus and the Raijinshū were oddly respectful of the premises, as were the Strauss siblings—though more often than not you could hear Elfman's "manly!" echo throughout the building, immediately followed by a "Shhhhhh!" from librarians and his siblings (or Evergreen) alike.

On this particular day, Laxus and Bickslow were researching something for an upcoming job. Or rather, Laxus was, and Bickslow was intermittently helping him and pestering Levy. In the span of an hour, he'd already upended her meticulously sorted book cart, added an extra fifteen books to her table after proclaiming that they were close but not quite right for what Laxus needed, and his babies had nearly knocked over more than one Magnolia senior citizen.

She was ready to tear her hair out. _I'm sorely tempted to solid script up some rope and hog-tie his ass until Laxus is done. Gods, please let him finish soon._

She picked up the most recent book Bickslow had deposited on the table, noted the bar code, and was about to skim it when she nearly swallowed her own tongue upon seeing the title.

 _Tantric Sex and You: Achieving Nirvana in the Bedroom._

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks and knew she must be as red as her glasses. Placing the book on the "to be shelved" cart without so much as a second glance, she then turned to glare at Bickslow.

"Grow up, Bickslow. Isn't Laxus done yet?" she asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.

He shrugged, tongue lolling out of his mouth in his signature goofy grin. "Not a fan of nirvana, hmm?"

Levy ignored him and returned to her task, her flush abating after a couple innocuous, albeit boring, books. When she grabbed the next on the pile, the title caught her eye. _A History of Tattoos, Piercings, and Body Modification._ Her lips curved up slightly as she thought of her favorite dragon slayer. Though technically nothing more than friends at the moment, she hoped eventually they'd be something more.

Speed-reading through it courtesy of her Gale-Force glasses, she was surprised by the number of images of tattoos, piercings, and other body decorations in the text. When she reached a section about certain…below the belt piercings, she felt the flush return to her face.

It was impossible not to notice Gajeel's facial piercings, but…

 _Does he have matching piercings elsewhere?_

The book slipped out of her suddenly sweaty hands and bounced a little ways from her chair. To her dismay, Bickslow oh so helpfully retrieved it. He regarded the cover and then angled his head to—she could only assume, given the visor—look at her.

"What's got ya all hot and bothered there, Levy-chan? Surely a sweet girl like you wouldn't be thinking anything naughty…" He trailed off and smirked as his babies floated around him chiming in, "Naughty! Naughty!"

She was saved from answering by Laxus's arrival. The blond jerked his chin toward the entrance, indicating that they were leaving.

" _Arigatō_ , Levy. Hopefully this idiot hasn't been keeping you from your work."

She shook her head, unwilling to give Bickslow any further openings, and Laxus gave a quick wave over his shoulder as he headed out the door.

Bickslow tossed the book he held to her. "See ya around, Shortstuff. Try not to drool on any books…" He cackled as he followed Laxus.

Levy sank back into her chair, stuck the offending book into its appropriate spot on the reshelving cart, and tried to put the whole concept out of her mind.

Still, later that night as she lay in bed, willing sleep to come, she couldn't stop her mind from revisiting her earlier question.

 _Does he have matching piercings elsewhere?_

* * *

 **Author's note #2:** Just a reminder/FYI, as this is a multichapter fic, which will be completed by the end of Gajevy Week, the chapters are connected and should be read in order.


	2. Longing

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much to all who read it, reviewed it, liked it, or reblogged it, especially **ImpracticalDemon** , **DragoonHearted** , and everyone on Tumblr. I am constantly amazed by your feedback and can't love you enough for it.

For those of you enjoying Bicks messing with Levy, I dedicate this chapter to you.

* * *

 **Prompt: Longing**

Levy banged her head against the library table, drawing more than a few shocked gazes. Levy was normally a model volunteer librarian, exceptionally professional.

Today, however, she just couldn't take it.

Evidently Bickslow had so enjoyed Levy's reactions to the books he'd slipped into her stack a few weeks ago that he'd decided it was his new thing.

So she'd be at the library, in the zone, skimming books, organizing them for shelving, enjoying her work, and BAM! She'd be caught off guard by one of his so-called funny titles.

 _A Year of Great Sex: 365 Positions to Try_

The authors had gone out of their way to be creative and as such, the illustrations had been rather…disturbing.

 _Jell-O Wrestling for Dummies_

Seriously? Who even did that? Her skin crawled just thinking about it.

 _Erotic Macramé Crafts_

She'd never look at certain textiles the same way ever again.

 _Sally's Sexy Séance_

What godsforsaken publishing company decided a ghost harem was a good idea? She'd contemplated sending the editor a letter…

The list of Bickslow's "prank" books went on and on. She'd decided, given the number of sexually explicit or sex-themed titles, that he was either some kind of sex freak or he desperately needed to get laid. Or, worse, he'd decided _she_ needed to get laid.

Shudder.

She did _not_ want Bickslow involved in her—nonexistent—sex life.

What had been the breaking point for Levy today had been not one, not two, but three dinosaur erotic romance novels.

Erotic.

Dinosaurs. **1**

Those were mental images she'd never get out of her brain. Perhaps she could get Natsu to burn them out, or Laxus to do some version of shock therapy. At this point, she'd settle for a frontal lobotomy.

Or maybe a stiff drink.

 _You know what they say—I'd rather have this bottle in front of me, instead of a frontal lobotomy._ **2**

 _Oh gods. Did I really just think that?_

She banged her head against the table again.

"Oi, oi, what the hell are you doin'?"

Levy lifted her now-aching head. "Hey, Gajeel. Can you help me beat something out of my brain? Maybe Lily could fly me up really high and drop my on my head?"

He arched a studded brow at her, clearly confused. "Not really sure what's goin' on here, but something ain't right with you today."

Levy groaned. Understatement of the year. She started to smack her head on the table again, but instead, her forehead was stopped by cool hands, which then lifted her head gently and helped her sit up in her chair.

"C'mon, Shrimp. I'm taking you home."

Gajeel stacked her books in a neat pile and set them on the non-sorted reshelving cart and wheeled it up to circulation. Levy saw him gesturing, then both he and the librarian looked at her, and she contemplated resuming her attempts at turning her brain into mush. Gajeel must've known what she was thinking, because he shook his head as he walked back over to her.

"You're good to go, don't have to be back till Friday."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? But…but…that's—"

"Two days from now, 'cause clearly you need a break," he interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.

"Tell that to Bickslow," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Levy sighed and took the proffered hand Gajeel had extended to help her out of the chair.

When she stood up, her vision swam, and she wobbled as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Whoa, what the hell?"

Not a second later, she found herself scooped up and cradled against a firm, well-muscled chest, strong arms holding her tightly.

"G-gajeel! Put me down!"

"And let you pass out or crack your skull open? Not a chance, Shrimp." And with that, he set off toward Fairy Hills.

Levy's embarrassment skyrocketed, and her face felt as though it had been engulfed in some of Natsu's flames. She knew it must be tomato red, and while she had definitely been longing to be in the iron dragon slayer's arms, this was not exactly how she'd imagined it.

Still, she couldn't help but enjoy the feel of his warm body surrounding her, and she told herself she was merely hiding her blush when she buried her face in his chest, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Gajeel.

Above her head, she heard a very faint, "Gi hi."

Levy wanted to smack him, to tell him to put her down, that she could walk just fine, thankyouverymuch.

But for some reason—perhaps the alleviation of her longing for his touch—she couldn't bring herself to do so, no matter how utterly embarrassing it was for him to be carrying her, bridal style, all the way from the library to her apartment.

Instead, she mumbled "thank you" into that rock-hard chest and closed her eyes. She failed to noticed his arms tightening around her more possessively, and she couldn't see the way he glared at anyone who tried to approach them.

She'd wade through the confusing emotions and thoughts swirling around in her throbbing head later. For now, she would simply enjoy the ride.

And tomorrow, she would murder Bickslow.

Or thank him.

 _Nah, definitely murder._

* * *

 **Author's Note #2:** I know this was a wee bit on the short side, and I do apologize. My muse gets pissy if I try to force something when she says it's finished. ;-)

 **Footnotes:**

 **1.** Yes, these dinosaur books do exist. A librarian friend informed me of their existence, but I can happily say I have not read them nor even skimmed them. Unlike poor Levy. The other books are fictional. (I hope…)

 **2.** Can't take credit for this terrible pun (technically a spoonerism). It's an oldie that has been attributed to numerous people, though I first encountered it in Tom "T-Bone" Stankus's song "Existential Blues."


	3. Pillow Talk & Trouble Twins

**Author's Note:** Special thanks to reviewers/commenters **ImpracticalDemon** , **DragoonHearted** , **sanguine-fairy** , and **miss-zei** , as well as all those who liked and reblogged on Tumblr. I greatly appreciate your feedback!

* * *

 **Prompts: Pillow Talk & Trouble Twins**

Fortunately for Levy, the Fairy Tail gossip/rumor mill had barely enough time to process the story of Gajeel carrying her home before other, bigger news took its place.

Crime Sorcière had been in town, and in the wee hours of the morning, someone—Mira—had caught an extremely inebriated Jellal and Erza in the throes of passion.

In the guildhall.

On Laxus's desk.

Meredy and Mira were nearly foaming at the mouth happy, already planning a wedding, honeymoon, baby showers, the whole nine yards.

Laxus was threatening to burn his desk, if not the whole damn place, in order to "sterilize" it. Freed had cornered an uncomfortable-looking Jellal and was ranting about them disrespecting Laxus. Evergreen and Bickslow had tried to maintain fierce, disapproving glares, but only lasted about two minutes before dissolving into a fit of giggles over the entire situation.

Erza was the same color as her hair, and she kept apologizing and telling Laxus he could hit her. And of course, Natsu happened to walk into the guildhall at the tail end of that conversation and, being Natsu, had assumed it was an opportunity to fight Erza, Laxus, or both.

Levy felt a smidgen of guilt about being happy that better gossip had overshadowed her embarrassing story, but more than that she was relieved.

With a day off from volunteering and no job with her team at the moment, she opted to let the drama run its course before venturing out and planned to have a nice relaxing day in bed. Just her and a good book or two.

Perusing her own personal library, she spied a title that she didn't recall buying. _Wait, this is an out-of-print first edition! But…how…_

Her first thought was Bickslow, as he'd become some bizarre sort of reverse book thief, sneaking books into her stacks at the library. But surely he wouldn't stoop to sneaking into her apartment.

Besides, this wasn't some kinky fetish book or a grotesque culinary anthology. This was a book she genuinely wanted, one she would appreciate, by one of her favorite authors. There was no way Bickslow would've even known she'd like the book, much less gone out of his way to find a first edition.

 _Maybe I bought it and I don't remember? Wouldn't be the first time. Hmm…_ _Maybe Lu-chan got it for me and forgot to mention it?_

Whatever the circumstances, Levy figured it didn't _really_ matter, though if it was a gift she'd like to thank the person.

Shrugging, she curled up in bed and cracked open the newly acquired addition to her collection, sighing happily as she began reading.

* * *

Three or four days later, after things had wound down from the "Great Desk Defilement"—as Laxus had taken to calling it—Lucy bounced into Fairy Tail, a wiggly Plue at her heels.

"Good morning, everyone!"

The cheerful blonde received a few waves and greetings in response, but her cheer was dampened when she spotted her friend Levy.

The bluenette was seated at a table in between Jet and Droy, which was perfectly normal. What wasn't normal was the fact that Levy had her shoulders slumped, head down with her forehead grazing the table, her hands tangled in her hair and her signature headband in a crumpled ball on the floor next to her. Lucy could swear there was a dark cloud hovering over her.

Lucy made a beeline for her friend. "Levy-chan? What's wrong?"

Levy lifted her head and stared blankly at Lucy, her eyes glassy and lips pressed in a flat line.

"Vendor error. Back-ordered. Don't know availability date," she said brokenly.

The celestial mage struggled to make sense of what Levy was saying, and then suddenly the proverbial lightbulb went on.

"Oh, Levy, no! They messed up your book order?"

Levy nodded briefly before dropping her head into her arms on the table.

"I know I'm overreacting, but I'm just so bummed. Let me wallow in my misery for a little bit longer, 'kay?" The edges of her lips quirked up slightly.

Relieved that it seemed her friend would recover, Lucy nodded and patted her on the back before walking over to her team.

Just as she sat down, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey, Bunny Girl, what's wrong with the shrimp today?"

"Oh, evidently Book Land messed up her preorder of two new books coming out this week that she was really looking forward to. Said they'll have to back-order them from the vendor, so she's not even sure when she'll get them now." Lucy gazed at her friend, feeling both sympathy and disappointment. Truth be told, she'd been looking forward to borrowing them after Levy was done.

"What books?"

She stared at Gajeel, eyes wide. "Ehhh? Umm, one was Lazuli Le Fer's new novel, _Pillow Talk_ , and the other…" Lucy pursed her lips, thinking. "Oh! Dr. Flint Azure's _Trouble Twins_ , a study of twin archetypes in mythologies around the world. Why?"

The iron dragon slayer shrugged. "Just wonderin' what was so special about them that she's so bent outta shape."

Lucy twisted in her chair to glare at Gajeel. "Listen here, mister. She's entitled to be upset, even if— Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

Gajeel smirked. "C'mon, Lily. Let's go take care of that, uh, job we snagged earlier." Then he scooped up his Exceed and strode toward the door.

"Whaaa— _Ch-chotto matte_!"

Gajeel didn't pause to explain, just kept walking.

* * *

A week or so later, around 10:30 am, Lucy pushed open the doors to Fairy Tail. She'd barely stepped a foot inside the guild when she was attacked by a pint-sized, blue-haired, overcaffeinated whirlwind.

"Lu-chan! Finally! I thought you'd neverrrrr get here, and I would've called, but I didn't know what time you got in last night, and it would've been totally rude to wake you up just because I never went to sleep last night, so—"

"Wait, what? Why didn't you go to bed last night?" Lucy interrupted.

The wired solid script mage thrust two books into Lucy's face so excitedly, she almost smacked her friend square in the nose.

"Wow… Okay… I can't read the titles if they're that close." Lucy backed up a step, refocused, and then her eyes grew huge.

 _Pillow Talk_ and _Trouble Twins_

"Are you serious?"

Levy nodded vigorously, somewhat resembling a bobblehead doll, before speaking rapid-fire. "Lu, they were in my room when I got home from volunteering yesterday, must be from that mysterious admirer of mine, and gods, you have no idea how good they are! _Pillow Talk_ is precious and hilarious—precarious! No, that's already a word, heehee… But you're going to love it. And this!" She grabbed Lucy's arm and dragged her over to a table.

There, Levy flipped open _Trouble Twins_ , turned to a marked page, and stabbed her finger at it enthusiastically.

"Look—it's about Gemini! I mean, it's a tiny section, and they acknowledge that not much is known, but can you believe it? It's about your spirits! Though they don't cite you as the current contract holder, which is probably good…"

Lucy squealed excitedly in the middle of Levy's outburst and hugged her friend's arm. Then a thought occurred to her.

" _Matte_ , Levy… Don't you have to work at the library today?"

Levy twirled a piece of her hair around her fingertip distractedly. "No…"

Lucy gasped. "Levy! Don't tell me you lied and called in sick!"

Levy blushed scarlet to the tips of her ears and planted her hands on her hips defiantly. "I didn't lie, okay? I just told them I had trouble sleeping—which is technically true, except I never actually went to bed—and asked if they absolutely needed me today. They said no, not to worry about it."

Behind them, Gajeel burst out laughing. He'd been eavesdropping and observing their antics—the whole guild had—and Shorty's forced confession of how she'd weaseled her way out of work without _technically_ lying had been too much for him to keep the "gi hi hi" from escaping.

"Oi, Shrimp, how much coffee've you had, anyway?" he choked out between chuckles.

"I don't see what that has to do with anything." Levy huffed. "Mind your own business."

When his amusement had faded and the ache in his sides from laughing so hard had subsided, Gajeel called out to her.

"Hey, Shorty."

She and Lucy had their heads pressed together, leafing through the book, but only Levy glanced up at him.

He gave her a genuine smile, one so rarely seen. "Glad you got your books. Nice to see ya smile."

Then he left to browse the job postings without awaiting her response.

Levy felt her cheeks grow warm and butterflies take flight in her stomach.

 _I really hope it was you, Gajeel_.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** As I'm guessing you figured out, these books don't actually exist (to my knowledge). And I hope you'll allow me the bit of leeway taken with Jellal and Erza, since alcohol does loosen inhibitions and getting them both laid, finally, pleases me to no end…


	4. First Date

**Author's Note:** Again, I am so appreciative of everyone who has read and reviewed, or those on Tumblr who've read, liked, and/or reblogged the story so far. Thank you!

* * *

 **Prompt: First Date**

Late one afternoon, early evening really, most of the guild members were hanging out in the hall, eating, drinking, and socializing, as was the usual.

Team Shadow Gear had just returned the night before from a job, and they were regaling their friends with the tale of a supposedly kitsune-haunted mansion, which had turned out to be little more than a couple local village pranksters. As she talked, Levy snuck glances at Gajeel, who appeared to be more interested in observing the rest of the guild than listening to her story.

And just like that, the last thread of Levy's patience snapped. She was sick of waiting on Gajeel to do something, but she unhappily acknowledged that she was too insecure to ask _him_ out. The fear of rejection and losing their friendship was too great.

When Jet and Droy finished speaking, Levy turned to Lucy.

" _Ne_ , Lu-chan? I've, um, got a date tonight… Could you come help me pick out what to wear?"

The blonde whipped her head around to look at Gajeel and then back at Levy, her face lighting up in amazement.

"Did—"

Levy shook her head. "Nope."

Lucy arched an eyebrow and then grabbed Levy's hand, dragging the bluenette out the door, barely giving them enough time to say bye to their respective teams.

Jet and Droy reacted predictably to the news, wailing about their "Levy-chan" as they flopped deafeatedly onto the tabletop, tears streaming down their faces.

Gajeel, however, said nothing.

After several minutes of watching Gajeel, or rather watching his lack of reaction, Gray crossed his arms over his suddenly bare chest, leaned back in his chair, and regarded the stoic dragon slayer. "Hey, what gives? You seem awfully calm for Levy to be going out with some guy tonight."

Gajeel grinned slyly. "Gi hi. I ain't worried. She's not going out with anyone tonight."

Natsu cocked his head in confusion. "Huh? How can you be so sure?"

"Shrimp's got a tell—she twirls a bit of her hair around her finger the whole time she's lying. Salamander, your Bunny Girl's got one too, ya know."

Gray rolled his eyes at the implication that Natsu owned their teammate. Natsu and Happy leaned in close, mischievous smiles spreading across their faces. "Ohhhh?"

Gajeel snorted. "Not that hard to miss. She giggles and won't make eye contact."

While they processed this fairly non-Earthland-shattering information, Gajeel walked up to the bar to get another drink.

Mira smiled as she wiped down the bar. "Same thing?"

He nodded, and she set about preparing his version of a Screwdriver—whiskey neat, literally poured over an iron screw.

"Mira, when you're finished with that, can you make me another appletini?" Evergreen propped up against the bar next to him. "Hi, Gajeel."

He inclined his head in acknowledgment and, once he had his drink in hand, was about to return to his seat when something Mira said to Evergreen caught his attention.

"So, Ever, what's with Bickslow spending so much time at the library these days?"

Evergreen shrugged and fanned her face. "Who knows for sure… But…" She leaned in close and whispered conspiratorially, "I think maybe he's taken a liking to a particular blue-haired volunteer librarian. Wouldn't surprise me if he asked her out soon."

Gajeel gulped his drink and slammed the empty glass on the bar, shattering it in the process and eliciting twin startled squeaks from the women. Then he stomped out the door, not even bothering to wait for Pantherlily, who looked at him with wide surprised eyes.

Evergreen snapped her fan closed and winked at Mira, receiving a Cheshire-cat grin in return.

* * *

After a short chat and no small amount of frustrated tears, Lucy and Levy commiserating over _baka_ dragon slayers, the celestial mage went home, assuring Levy she'd keep up the ruse.

Levy knew she was being petty and immature, but she was so very tired of feeling like a foregone conclusion.

 _Damn that man! Is it so hard to make just a little bit of effort?_

She sighed. Maybe she should simply bite the bullet and ask him herself.

Levy flung herself on her bed, wincing in pain as something dug into her midcalf. Squirming around, she retrieved the offending object. It was the newest book left by her clandestine admirer, a rare anthology of dragon fairy tales from various cultures across the world. **1**

Whoever this person was, they had excellent taste.

She was thumbing through the collection, smiling at the colorful pictures, when a loud thwack against her apartment door had her bolting upright, heart thundering in her chest.

"Oi. Shrimp. I know you're home."

 _Gajeel._

"How're you even in here? Guys aren't allowed in Fairy Hills!"

"Heh, as if that would stop me." He cleared his throat. "Listen, you, uh, want to grab a bite to eat tonight or somethin'?"

"Gajeel… I'd love to, but I already have a date." **2**

"Yeah? With who?"

"Umm…a library patron. You don't know him," Levy said hesitantly.

"'Course you're not the kind of girl who would break a date…"

"No, I'm not."

"And I ain't the kinda guy who'd ask you to."

"I know."

"So, uh, pick you up at eight?" he asked.

"I'll be ready." **2**

She listened to his retreating footsteps and pressed her hands to her mouth to muffle her gleeful squeal.

 _A date. With Gajeel. Our_ first _date._

 _Finally!_

Except… Now she really did want Lucy's help!

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

Lucy had planned on going home, but her short heart-to-heart had left her feeling a bit blue and needy. Rather than wallow in her thoughts at home alone, she decided to go back to the guild for a bit. She knew someone's antics would cheer her up.

 _No, you just want to see Natsu. You liiiiiike him._

Why the traitorous little voice in her head had randomly adopted Happy's voice, Lucy had no clue.

Heading for her team, she saw Laxus at the bar with Mira and Evergreen, a scowl on his face, and she overheard him saying something like "that was just dirty."

Before she could sneak over to eavesdrop for some juicy gossip, she was accosted by Natsu and Happy. Their matching sly expressions immediately put her on guard.

"Luuuuuuuccccyyyyyy…" Natsu's grin was a little _too_ toothy for her liking.

She began backing away slowly. "Y-yes?"

"Got any food at your apartment?"

"Yeah, Lucy, maybe some fish?" Happy added.

"Ah, _ano_ …" She bit her lip and glanced at her feet. Sure, she had just bought groceries, including fish, but there was no way she could tell THEM that.

She giggled nervously and peeked at them. They were staring expectantly at her, awaiting her response.

"N-no… I, um [giggle] need to go to the store tomorrow."

To her surprise, their smiles didn't fade. No, instead, they grew larger if possible.

Happy chuckled ominously, and he and Natsu said in unison, "You're lying!"

And then each grabbed ahold of her, and with Natsu on one arm and Happy on the other, they dragged a shell-shocked Lucy out of the guild toward her apartment.

 _Ehhhh? What the hell just happened?_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Nope, not going to describe their first date. Everyone's ideal first date is individual, so I leave that up to readers' imaginations.

 **Footnotes:**

 **1\. Note:** Refers to _A Book of Dragons_ , by Ruth Manning-Sanders. Published in 1964, it's a collection of 14 dragon-related fairy tales. Whether it actually has colorful pictures or not, I couldn't say.

 **2\. Note:** Starting with the line "I'd love to, but I already have a date" and ending with "I'll be ready," this scene was adapted from the 1959 movie _Pillow Talk,_ starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day. Though technically it would've been nice to use this on the Pillow Talk prompt day, it just worked better here. :-)


	5. Grief

**Author's Note:** Huge thanks to **Kimchimustard** , **ImpracticalDemon** , **OziGirl16** , and everyone on Tumblr for reading and reviewing/reblogging/liking.

Also, to **iTanasha91** , since I couldn't reply to your review, I wanted to thank you for reviewing. I will finish the story, so no need to worry, but I am so happy that you actively want more :-)

* * *

 **Prompt: Grief**

It was no secret to anyone in Fairy Tail that Levy McGarden could sleep through just about anything. It had been a long-standing joke among the members of Team Shadow Gear—that throughout the many jobs that had taken them across Fiore, Jet and Droy had searched high and low for an alarm clock that could rouse Levy. They joked that said alarm clock had yet to be made.

Thus, Erza made no attempts to be quiet when she confronted the not-so-stealthy Jet and Droy trying to sneak out of Fairy Hills one morning.

"Explain."

Jet held up slightly shaking hands in appeasement. "Erza-san! _G-g-gomennasai_! We were only leaving a surprise for Levy."

Droy nodded vigorously.

Erza didn't look convinced. "You couldn't have asked one of us to give it to her or put it in her room?"

They hung their heads and made noncommittal noises.

Though it woke the few remaining slumbering residents of Fairy Hills, the pain-filled cries of " _itaiiii_ " failed to wake Levy.

* * *

Levy cracked open an eye to peer at the clock. Ten a.m. Could be worse.

She stretched and dragged herself out of bed, nearly tripping as the tangled sheets tried to come with her.

 _Gods I need coffee. I stayed up way too late last night reading._

 _Again._

One teeny downside to being a bookworm and working at a library was the almost infinite supply for her addiction.

Before she could mainline caffeine, a small potted plant on her desk caught her eye. It had dark green foliage and daisy-esque flowers with pale pink petals surrounding a pinkish-orange center.

She smiled at the cheerful little plant, which she assumed was a new gift from her secret admirer.

Who she hoped was Gajeel.

Feeling more awake than was normal pre-coffee, Levy decided to get her morning java at the guild, and it was difficult to keep a happy little skip out of her step as she went.

No sooner had she entered the guild than a stern-faced Erza stopped her.

"Levy, as the leader of Team Shadow Gear, you are responsible for making sure your team behaves appropriately. I let it slide with only minor punishment, but any further such grievances and I will not be so tolerant."

Levy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I… Um…" Though she had no clue what Erza was going on about, she decided it was best to simply smile and nod. Doing so, she added, "Of course, Erza. Thank you for letting me know."

Satisfied, Erza smiled back and left Levy to—finally—get her much-desired coffee.

Steaming cup of heavenly bliss in hand, she made her way over to Jet and Droy's table.

"So why exactly did I just get lectured by Erza?" she asked, sipping her coffee slowly. It was hot. And divine.

"We were sneaking you a surprise, Levy. I'm sorry," Jet said, looking a bit like a kicked puppy.

"Did you see it? It's a special cultivar, just for you! I call it 'Levy Pink' since it almost matches the one on your headband," Droy said. " _Argyranthemum frutescens_ **1** usually require full sun and planting outside, but this one will be fine indoors as a houseplant. It's easy to care for—"

Jet cut off Droy's enthusiastic horticultural ramblings. "We thought you would like it, but we never intended to cause you any trouble. Hopefully she didn't give you too much grief?"

Levy smiled gently and placed her hands on top of theirs. "I love it. It's such a cheerful little plant, and it makes me so happy that you did it just for me. Thank you both."

Their answering grins were so full of relief she couldn't hold back a little giggle.

"And don't worry about what happened with Erza. Except…maybe hold off on the sneaking in, okay?"

They nodded, and Levy went back to drinking her coffee.

 _Those two… I swear…_

She really did love Jet and Droy, but like brothers, not anything more. And they seemed to have finally accepted that as well as her budding relationship with Gajeel, though the latter had taken some convincing.

An errant thought had her stomach churning unpleasantly.

 _They snuck me…a surprise… Oh no!_

Levy kept her features schooled in a neutral expression and continued drinking her coffee. Inside, however, her mind was a veritable maelstrom of emotions.

 _Does that mean…the other mystery gifts…_

 _Are_ they _my secret admirers?_

 _So the books weren't from Gajeel after all?_

 _No…surely… Surely if it had been them, Erza would have caught them sooner._

A sliver of doubt pushed back. _Or maybe you just_ want _to believe it was Gajeel, so you're refusing to accept that it could have been them all along?_

She swallowed hard around the golf ball-like lump that had formed in her throat.

Feeling hot tears prickling the backs of her eyes, she scolded herself mentally.

 _Cut it out, Levy. Stop acting like a kid. So what if Jet and Droy are your secret admirers? You know Gajeel likes you—sure, he moves at a glacial pace, but things are progressing! You've gone on several dates, shared a few kisses. This is not the end of the world._

"Levy-chan!" A singsong voice halted her self-chastising.

Forcing a smile, she looked up at Lucy. "Morning, Lu-chan!"

Lucy dropped into a seat next to her. Jerking a thumb at the still-subdued Jet and Droy, who had gone to browse the job board, Lucy asked, "What's up with them?"

Levy laughed. "Oh, they got a dressing down from Erza for sneaking into Fairy Hills."

Lucy joined her in laughing and wiggled her index finger back and forth in a "tsk-tsk" gesture.

"Upside is that now I've identified my mysterious admirer. Or should I say, admirers. You'll have to come see the beautiful plant they gave me. Droy cultivated it just for me!"

The girls chattering away happily, they didn't notice Pantherlily frowning in concern at Levy's comments.

Padding away quietly as only a cat can, he found his friend observing a Natsu-Gray argument. No one was quite sure what this one was about.

"Gajeel."

The iron dragon slayer looked down at the Exceed and waited patiently for him to continue.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding. Levy was just telling Lucy about her secret admirers Jet and Droy bringing her a plant today," Lily spoke softly, knowing Gajeel would not want others in the guild to hear him.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Gajeel groaned. He shoved a hand through his hair and exhaled loudly.

"Do you want me—"

"Nah, I'll figure somethin' out. Thanks for the heads-up, Lily," Gajeel said.

Lily nodded, though he would be lying if he said he wasn't a little concerned about what seemed to be an overly indirect tactic on Gajeel's part.

 _I shouldn't meddle. But if their happiness is on the line…_

He mulled for a moment before deciding that for now, a wait-and-see approach would be best.

* * *

 **Deleted Scene**

 **[** The author apologizes in advance. It's your choice whether to believe this happened during the story, or if it is simply the result of an overwrought brain. Should you wish to draw and quarter me, I will accept my punishment. But bear in mind that if you do, it means you won't get the remaining chapters… **]**

"Natsuuuuu! Why are we stopping here first?" Lucy asked as Natsu and Happy dragged her into the guild.

"Because I'm starving! Can't start a job on an empty stomach!"

Happy nodded enthusiastically. "Aye!"

"Good grief, you two. You ate breakfast not an hour ago at my apartment!" The blonde glared at her partners, who'd plunked themselves at a table after giving Mira their orders.

Right on cue, both Natsu and Happy's stomachs growled loudly.

Lucy sighed in defeat and sat down across from them. She started to comment when she noticed Levy staring at her.

"Oh, hi, Levy! Is everything okay?"

" _Ne_ , Lu-chan, ever wonder about the origins of words or phrases?" Levy marked the page of the book she'd been reading and took a seat next to her friend.

Lucy gave an appreciative laugh. "Sure, all the time! But I think you and I might be unusual in that regard. What is it you're wondering about?"

"The phrase 'good grief'—excluding the idea of catharsis, not very many of us would think of grief as being a good thing," Levy said.

"Hmm…good point…" Lucy tilted her head as she thought it over.

Around a mouthful of his second breakfast, Natsu asked, "Good grief… Ain't that like Kobe?"

Lucy and Levy groaned and frowned at him.

"No, _baka_ , that's 'good beef'."

Natsu laughed. "Sorry, my bad." He downed the last of his drink and slapped the tabletop. " _Yoshi_! Ready to go, Luce?"

Lucy waved to Levy as she hurried after her companions. "Bye, Levy-chan! You'll have to let me know when you figure it out!"

Levy smiled and nodded, waving in return.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I wasn't sure if I wanted to try to tackle full-blown angst in one chapter, plus I was uncertain about going there in this rather fluffy short story. So, I'll back up my more lighthearted choices rather than traditional grief with a quote from Sappho—"There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse." Given that my muse is finicky enough as is, who am I to argue?

Oh, and if anyone is wondering, "good grief" is what is known as a minced oath, believed to be substituting grief in place of "God."

 **Footnotes:**

 **1.** _Argyranthemum frutescens_ is also known as a marguerite daisy, and since it typically requires full sun (as Droy mentions), it wouldn't be well suited as a houseplant—hence the need for Droy to cultivate an indoor one for Levy. While it does come in pink, to my knowledge no "Levy Pink" exists ;-)


	6. MarriageLiving Together

**Author's Note:** Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has read and been so supportive.

* * *

 **Prompt: Marriage/Living Together**

Levy hummed tunelessly as she worked, Gale-Force reading glasses in place, lips curved in a self-satisfied grin.

Rather than sorting books to be reshelved, today she was seated in one of the offices behind circulation, adding new acquisitions to their collection, entering the data into their catalog, and then labeling each spine carefully.

Those that had been donated by patrons got special acid-free, archival-quality bookplates on the inside cover indicating the date and name of the donor.

Levy loved doing this because she got a sneak peek at both newly published books as well as content not previously part of their inventory.

It was a book lover's paradise.

 _Oh, how pretty,_ she thought, enjoying the images in _The Bride's Bouquet Guide_. She indulged herself momentarily, allowing her mind to wander and picture her and Gajeel marrying.

Setting it aside once she'd shaken off her daydream, Levy reached for the next book and rolled her eyes.

 _Caring for Cocks_.

About raising roosters.

It had been donated by Bickslow.

She sighed. _I suppose I should admire his creativity. But I don't even_ want _to know how he knew I'd be working on newly acquired books._

Truly an obscure title, to be sure, but Levy supposed someday it might come in handy for some fowl-loving individual.

As she'd suspected, the next book was donated by him as well.

 _Dick's Fairy_. **1**

Contrary to any prepubescent thinking, it was merely a very dated anthology of juvenile fiction.

She made a mental note to, in spite of her better judgment, ask Bickslow where he'd found it, given her love for antique and out-of-print works.

Levy counted her blessings that these two had simply been cases of innuendo. Unfortunately, she'd been a bit premature in doing so.

Roughly an hour later, having put Bickslow and his shenanigans out of her mind, Levy picked up the last newly donated book.

And promptly dropped it, a small squeak of surprise forcing its way past her lips.

 _Intercourse in Elysium: Coitus Once You Kick the Bucket._ **2**

What very likely qualified as hysterical laughter bubbled up out of her, and she doubled over in her chair.

When she'd regained a modicum of control and wiped the tears from her eyes, she sat back up.

And found herself face-to-face with Gajeel.

Who stared at her as though she'd lost her mind.

 _It's a distinct possibility._

By way of explanation, Levy picked up and then held up the source of her hilarity.

"Dead people. Having sex, Gajeel! Corpse copulation! Well, okay, more like their spirits, but…" She trailed off.

He paused, seeming to search for appropriate words. Finally, in utter bafflement, he said, "What the actual fuck?"

Biting her lip to stave off further laughter, but failing as a snicker escaped, Levy simply said, "You have no idea."

Eager to spend time with Gajeel rather than working, she finished cataloging this final book and placed the bookplate naming Bickslow as the donor inside the front cover.

Then, she stood up, brushed off her dress, and smiled at Gajeel. "So what brings you to the library?"

"Oh, I, uh, was just on this side of town and, uh, thought I'd walk home with ya. If you're done?"

Levy nodded, and then felt her cheeks warm when he threaded his fingers through hers and tugged her gently toward the exit.

As they wandered through the Magnolia streets, she glanced over at Gajeel.

"You know, that author might not be completely nuts," she said, referring to the afterlife sex manual.

Gajeel snorted. "Think he's on to somethin'?"

"Well, who knows what happens after we die. I will say one thing, though. If he's right, it sure puts the romance back in necromancy," she deadpanned.

Gajeel barked a laugh. "Shrimp, that's bad. Really, really bad." He paused thoughtfully, and then said, "gives a whole new meaning to stiff."

Levy dissolved into a fit of giggles, and Gajeel accompanied her with his signature "gi hi."

Ignoring the stares they drew as they walked toward Fairy Hills, they cracked one bad pun after another and laughed like a pair of hyenas.

Upon arrival, Gajeel turned to Levy and spoke seriously, "So that book donation thing…"

Levy nodded and waited for him to continue.

"You, uh, ever take donations to your personal library? For safekeeping of rare items?" he asked quietly.

She grinned. "But of course! I've even worked with Freed to enchant my collection against damages like water, fire… You know, potential threats all too plausible given our guild mates. Why?"

He fidgeted a bit with the hem of his shirt before answering, "I, uh, got somethin' I'd like to donate, so to speak… If you don't mind, 'course."

Levy stared at Gajeel momentarily, transfixed by the hint of pink dusted across his cheekbones. _He looks so cute when he blushes._

Giving herself a mental shake, she replied, "I'd love to! What is it?"

He handed her a slender paperback. "Only one like it in Earthland. It's an anthology of Edo-Gajeel's articles, stuff he considered his best work or simply his favorites. He gave me a copy when we met."

Levy's mouth dropped open, and she shoved the book back toward him. "I-I… I can't take this!"

"Oh really? Mmm…that's a damn shame, Shorty. I was hopin' you'd keep it safe for me. What with you bein' a book expert and all." He tweaked her nose playfully, and she swatted his hand away.

"Oh, you… Fine. I won't lie—I would _love_ to add such a one-of-a-kind book to my inventory. And you're right about it being safer with me." She smiled when he handed it back to her, and she tucked it carefully under her arm. "Thank you, Gajeel."

"For what?"

"For trusting me with something so important to you! It means a lot." Levy rose up on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his in a featherlight kiss, noticing that his cheeks had become markedly more pink than before.

Gajeel mumbled, half to himself, "Killin' my self-control, Shrimp." He coughed and said more audibly, "I, uh, gotta go meet Lily. Thanks for looking after my book. See ya later!"

And then the iron dragon slayer fled Fairy Hills, leaving a giggling Levy in his wake.

She shook her head, partly wishing he _would_ lose some of his self-control and partly amused at his awkwardness.

When she entered her apartment, going to find a place for Edo-Gajeel's book, she spotted an unfamiliar book on her desk.

The small older-looking leather-bound tome had a title in gold script that caused her to clench her teeth angrily. _On the Matings of Dragons._

 _Oh, that perverted Seith son of a bitch._

 _I'm going to kill Bickslow. Slowly and painfully._

When she shoved the book out of the way, it rotated, and she saw a bookmark barely sticking out of the pages.

Unable to resist her curiosity, even irritated, she opened to the marked page.

The bookmark was, in fact, a note.

 _Since he doesn't seem to realize or remember that you're neither a dragon nor a dragon slayer, I thought you might need some help. ~Lily_

Her anger faded at the Exceed's thoughtfulness, and she mentally granted Bickslow a stay of execution.

Then, Levy began reading the pages faintly yellowed with age, and what she read made her heart race.

 _"When male dragons become interested in a female, they will often leave gifts for her covertly in her den. The female, using scent, will determine which of the males she likes best and consent to courtship. Following this courting period, once a male finds her sufficiently invested, he will offer her an invaluable piece of his treasure. Not only does this signify he wishes to make her his mate, permanently, but it also is symbolic—he is trusting her with a prized possession. His heart._

 _"To accept the mateship, the female will return his gesture, surreptitiously leaving a gift for him."_

* * *

The following day, Gajeel came home to find a surprise.

On his kitchen table was a small solid script "iron" like Levy had made for him so many times in the past.

Attached to it was a tiny post-it with one word written on it.

 _Yes!_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** 'Twas sappy fluff, I readily admit it. I hope you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have. There will be an epilogue to follow shortly. Oh, and as to where Pantherlily found that book? A cat never reveals his secret.

 **Footnotes:**

 **1.** An actual book. Published in 1883 by Silas K. Hocking.

 **2.** Though this title is entirely fictional, similar works exist. *shudder* Anyone interested may find them on their own.


	7. Epilogue

**Author's Note:** I can't thank everyone who has read and reviewed enough. Thank you to **DancesWithSeatbelts** and **iTanasha91** for your reviews—it makes me unbelievably happy that you've enjoyed it.  
A very special thanks in particular to **ImpracticalDemon** , who has been so encouraging from the very start. I don't know if I would've ever posted _any_ fan fiction without her support.

*Please be advised the author is not responsible for any ill effects or cavities caused by the sugariness of this or the previous chapter.*

* * *

 **Epilogue**

And, reader, she married him.

It was not a quiet wedding—they held the ceremony at the guild, surrounded by the friends who'd become their family.

Jet and Droy walked Levy down the aisle, her maid of honor was Lucy, and Natsu, surprisingly enough, served as Gajeel's best man.

Evergreen caught the bouquet—though there'd been quite a scuffle over it—and Gray caught the garter, much to his dismay and Juvia's delight.

After the traditional post-ceremony rituals, in true Fairy Tail style, they held a huge party, inviting friends from guilds across Fiore.

As a precaution, particularly since Crime Sorcière would be attending the festivities, Laxus had Freed set up runes around his office to prevent any kind of amorous relations—except, of course, any involving Laxus himself.

His apprehension was not without merit, for we all know drunks tend to throw caution to the wind, and at the wedding after party, the alcohol flowed like, well, wine. The number of sober mages present could probably be counted on one hand.

Levy and Gajeel mingled with their guests, and during the course of the evening, Levy found herself conversing with a relatively intoxicated Seith mage. It turned out he was a somewhat serious, contemplative drunk, and Bickslow admitted to Levy that at the root of all his library shenanigans was a deep love of books, rather than any kind of romantic attachment to her. She found his confession endearing and told him she'd be more than happy to discuss literature with him. Just…perhaps not some of the more… _unusual_ titles he had a tendency to sneak into her stacks. Bickslow gave her his signature grin, tongue hanging out, and eventually Levy extracted herself from his philosophical ramblings.

Before she was waylaid by another guest, Levy sought out her maid of honor, who she found observing Cana and Bacchus playing some sort of card-based drinking game. Presently, Bacchus was good-naturedly accusing Cana of cheating.

"Lu-chan! There you are. Got a moment?" Levy said, pitching her voice to be heard above the rowdy revelers.

Lucy nodded and hopped down from the barstool she'd been perched on. The two found a quasi-quiet corner, and Levy handed a book to her friend.

"What's this?" Lucy asked. She examined the book and then gasped. _On the Matings of Dragons._ "Is this— Oh, Levy, I can't take—"

"It's not mine, don't worry. There aren't enough Jewels in Fiore for me to part with it." Levy's cheeks grew slightly pink. "But I thought that you might need a little help at some point, that all future partners of our dragon slayers might. So Freed and I worked on creating duplicates from my copy, one for each dragon slayer we know."

Lucy threw her arms around her friend, hugging her tightly. "Oh, Levy, thank you!"

"Just so you're aware, your book has been enchanted to prohibit any kind of alteration or replication. Even though it's a fairly old work, that was the only way I could prevent Freed from having some kind of existential crisis over possible plagiarism. Although it wasn't _that_ hard to get him to help. He did seem rather interested in the topic."

Lucy thought for a moment. "Wait, you said _all_ the dragon slayers? Does that include Cobra?"

Levy giggled. "In a sense. I figured it didn't hurt to make an extra copy, so should Cobra ever find himself out of jail and in need of advice for a mate, I guess we'll be prepared."

The blonde laughed and then looked at something over Levy's shoulder. "Speaking of mates, here comes yours." Lucy hugged Levy once more and went off in search of Natsu.

Coming up behind her, Gajeel wrapped his arms possessively around his wife's waist and nuzzled his face into her hair, eliciting wolf whistles and catcalls from various partygoers.

"Love you, wife," he murmured, face still buried in her azure strands.

She twisted around in his arms. "I love you too," she said, grabbing his collar and pulling him down for a kiss.

"Get a room, you two!" someone called.

He stole another kiss and then whispered in her ear, "So, you ready to blow this popsicle stand?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

They bid their guests farewell, and then, in an echo of when he'd carried her home from the library, he lifted her into his arms and carried her across the threshold, setting off for their honeymoon and whatever adventures their future would hold.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** That's all, folks! Thanks for sticking around! I had so much for doing Gajevy Week!

If you caught the _Jane Eyre_ reference, I love you forever. And yes, I know the "across the threshold" thing is for entering, not exiting. Artistic license and all that.


End file.
